To The End
by Terrible Temptation
Summary: ONESHOT. Hiei is critically injured while in the Makai. Kurama makes it his personal mission to make sure he gets home safely at any cost, putting his own health at risk. One has to wonder his true feelings for the koorime...[KuramaxHiei]


_Rei says: _  
New oneshot. Wewt.  
This idea came to me during, of all places, chorus. We're singing this song in chorus for our spring concert. It's a really nice song, actually. This has been in my head for the longest time, and it wasn't until recently that I decided to finally put it down. All in all, it took and hour to type it all out, and another fifteen minutes or so to look it over/edit it/blah blah blah. I like it. It's another first-person narration brought to you by none other than the wonderful and amazing Kurama. (My other oneshot featured his POV as well). I may be obsessed, but who cares.

My goal for this oneshot was to show you how deep Kurama and Hiei's bond actually is. And pay NO attention to the lyrics when it goes, "he's my brother". That's just how the song goes. I am not implying that Kurama and Hiei are related in any way. (That would be really weird, ne?) Just thought I'd put it out there while I was at it.

Read and review, and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the song.

* * *

_The road is long_

"Hiei," I said, my breath coming in short gasps, "you're going to be fine." The weight on my back didn't move, but I felt the warmth of his blood seep through my shirt. It made me shudder.

_With many a-winding turn_

He didn't move, nor did he speak. It made me nervous. I tightened my grip on his legs, hoisting him a little further up my back. He gave a small groan, barely audible, but still there. He was injured terribly. I had to get him home, to Yukina, who would be able to treat him. If I had some of my strength, I would be able to transform into Youko, my stronger self. But I couldn't. I was too weak now.

_That leads us to who knows where_

In all my centuries of living, I had never seen anyone in such bad condition. Right now, he was teetering on the edge of life or death. He knew it, and I knew it. I had to be truthful. I was scared.

_Who knows where_

I was scared for him, for his well-being. I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't be able to get us there in time, and I would lose him. If I lost him…

_But I'm strong_

The horrors of the Makai were nothing to me now. I trudged through, concerned with nothing but getting the both of us home. We were going to be okay. "Hiei," I murmured again, speaking to comfort both him and myself, "hold on." The koorime did nothing. He lay still, limply, on my back.

_Strong enough to carry him_

I went slowly, afraid that perhaps moving quickly would only hurt him more. So carefully, I avoided the rocks, the barriers and obstacles. I slowly walked around them, under them, anything. I was hurting as well – but it was nothing compared to Hiei's suffering.

_He ain't heavy_

I stopped to catch my breath. I closed my eyes, breathing in and out slowly. There was no time for stopping. Hiei needed help, and he needed help now. I wasn't going to be the one to let him die.

"Damn it," I said softly, straightening myself upright again. I felt Hiei's body press closer to me, and gripped his legs to reassure him. I shifted my arms to hold him better, tighter. The stench of blood was thick on him. I could feel his hoarse breathing on my neck.

_He's my brother_

We continued on. I was blind to my pain, to my aching legs, my arms that were screaming from holding the small koorime. I wasn't going to let that all stop me. We were going to make it home. I would never forgive myself if something other than that happened.

_So on we go_

"We're almost there," I said to him, trying to comfort him. It was far from the truth – in fact, we were nowhere near where we needed to go. Deep down inside, I was worried. I had this sinking desperation in the pit of my stomach. Some part of me knew that I wouldn't make it in time.

_His welfare is of my concern_

I heard him groan softly, and my heart lifted just a little. "Hiei," I said, walking on. I listened intently, alerting myself to his actions.

"S…" he began, trying to get out words. I felt him shift, and my hand on his leg tightened, as if warning him not to do so too much. There was the possibility that his wounds would reopen, start bleeding again. We couldn't afford for that to happen, not now. "S-stupid fox…" He mumbled something else, but I couldn't hear it. He then lapsed into a sudden silence, and I knew he slipped into unconsciousness again.

I exhaled, something of relief flooding over me. He was still Hiei, even at a time like this. I smiled, closing my eyes. I kept moving, kept going. My body was resisting. I knew that I couldn't handle it anymore.

"Hiei…"

_No burden is he to bear_

I needed to hear his voice, to keep me going. I was trying, but at any moment my legs were going to collapse. I had been walking for hours, it was only natural. I cursed under my breath, shifting Hiei into a more comfortable position on my back. I have never felt so helpless in my entire life.

_We'll get there_

I barely made two more steps when my legs buckled from under me, and I collapsed from utter exhaustion. I was starving, there was a pounding pain in my head, I couldn't move anymore. My arms were killing me.

I bowed my head, letting my bangs cover my eyes. "I'm sorry, Hiei," I whispered, trying to regain some of my strength. I failed.

I felt awful. It was my fault we weren't moving further. My body couldn't handle it, and now we're set back. I hated this feeling…that feeling where I could not do anything, no matter how hard I tried. I was pathetic.

One of my hands formed into fists and I forced myself to look away, out at the expanse of the land that is the Makai. I thrust my head back and stared up at the sky, the daylight fading quickly. I cursed myself once more.

"K'rama…"

I swerved my eyes to try to see him, although it was useless. The most I could see was the mass of his black hair.

"I'm here, Hiei," I murmured back to him.

"Where are we?" Hiei looked around, as if trying to make sense of where we both were right now. He tried to move a little.

I sighed. "We're still in Makai," I told him, averting my gaze. I couldn't look at him then. Somewhere inside, I felt like I had let him down. I figured that if I hadn't lost my strength then, we would be home now, Hiei would be safe, and everything would be fine. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he muttered back, letting out a small cough. I winced as I felt the warm blood fall onto my shoulder. "I'll be fine."

"No, Hiei," I said fiercely, "unless you get help, you won't be." Hiei sighed, looking away. I did the same, feeling defeated. I cursed this broken body of mine for what seemed like the millionth time.

"Fox…" Hiei muttered, and if he could, I knew he would roll his eyes. He always said that I was too emotional sometimes, and he made it clear that it was evident now. I didn't care.

"You know I'm right, Hiei," I pressed, sighing. "And it's my fault we're not moving further." He looked back at me, questioning. "I'm exhausted. I can't go anymore." I explained, closing my eyes.

He didn't answer, but he lifted his head a little, as if to sit up and get off my back. I shook my head, trying to stop him. "Hiei, you need…" I faltered. "Don't, you might reopen a wound, you--,"

"Enough," he snarled suddenly, and I backed off, surprised by his sudden outburst. I watched as he straightened himself, off my back. I turned and looked at him. He looked at me. For a moment, we were both silent as we looked into each other's eyes. I have to admit, it was the strangest thing.

"Hiei…"

He blinked, wincing. I knew that one of his wounds had reopened. It hurt him; I could see it in his face. I moved closer, my arms outstretched towards him. "I told you not to move so fast," I scolded him gently, beginning to tear the sleeve of my already-torn shirt. Hiei sighed, sitting stubbornly, watching me with those eyes of his. "Where is it?" I asked him. He turned away, blushing, embarrassed, and trying to mask his pain.

"I'm fine," he said, averting his gaze.

"Where is it?" I repeated, looking him over.

He silently pointed to his stomach. He slowly pulled off his robe, revealing all the cuts and slices that crisscrossed his chest area. I held my breath back, almost broken-hearted to see his suffering. He seemed to be doused in blood, dried and fresh. The worst, the deep incision made across his stomach, was already starting to trickle blood. Hiei mumbled something that sounded like 'damn fox', which I ignored. He was beet red as I pressed the fabric into the wound. He cried out in pain, then bit his lip, silencing himself. Within seconds, the fabric was soaked through with his blood. It wasn't enough.

"Hold it there," I instructed, turning away.

"Damn fox," he said, biting his lip. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that where he was biting was now bleeding. He had bit hard enough to draw blood. I shook my head, concentrating on ripping my shirt. It would serve as a makeshift bandage for the time being; it was all we had right now. Hiei let the blood-soaked fabric fall to the ground and allowed me to wrap the new 'bandage' around his body. If I hurt him, he did not say so. I knew he was holding back. We needed to move on; we had stayed in one spot for far too long. I rubbed my legs. Would I be able to?

"Hiei," I said, not looking at him. He stopped, waiting to hear something more. "Get on." I motioned to my back, which was now covered in his dried blood. "You need real help." His arms slipped around my neck, and I grabbed his legs. I took a deep breath.

With some difficulty, I was now standing. I sighed in relief, and began to walk again. Hiei had fallen silent. His breathing slowed.

_And the load_

"Kurama."

_Doesn't weigh me down at all_

I felt his voice in my ear, his voice saying my name. I halted for no more than a moment. "Yes, Hiei?" I asked him, biting my tongue to keep myself from stopping.

"Do you love me?"

The words hung suspended in the air around us, and for a moment, I was unable to respond, surprised by the bluntness of the question. I shook my head, smiling. "What a question," I said playfully.

"Do you?" he pressed, searching for an answer.

"Of course. You know I do."

He gave a sigh, relaxing, as if my response was something he had been nervous over. I felt him press closer to me. "I love you," he whispered after a few moments, and fell into unconsciousness again.

_He ain't heavy_

I couldn't stop the grin from spreading onto my face. I gripped his legs tighter, trudging onwards, ever onwards. To hear those words from him meant a lot. It was unlike him. He would never normally reveal his feelings so openly. I inhaled and exhaled deeply, looking up to the sky. It was something special.

_He's my brother_

We were going back home, and Hiei would be properly treated. He would be fine, he was strong. He would hold out for a while longer. All I could think of now was getting the both of us home, out of Makai. Both of our strengths needed to be replenished. We'll be all right in good time. I could no longer feel anything; all the pains I that had stopped us before was gone. I was numb to it all. Such was the power of Hiei and his words.

"I will carry you to the end," I whispered, making a promise to him.

"I know you will," Hiei said back softly.

I know I will not falter. The moment we shared back there - that was all I needed to keep me going.

_He's my brother._


End file.
